Carbon fiber

Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber (pronunciation: /ˈkɑːrbən ˈfaɪbər/), also known as graphite fiber or carbon graphite, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 micrometres in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms.

Etymology

The term "carbon fiber" is derived from its composition, which is primarily made up of carbon atoms. The word "carbon" comes from the Latin word "carbo", meaning charcoal, while "fiber" is derived from the Latin word "fibra", meaning thread or filament.

Composition and Manufacturing

Carbon fibers have several advantages including high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. These properties have made carbon fiber very popular in aerospace, civil engineering, military, and motorsports, along with other competition sports.

The manufacturing process of carbon fiber involves the pyrolysis of an organic precursor fiber in an inert atmosphere at temperatures above 1000 °C. The precursor fibers are most commonly made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN), but can also be made from pitch or rayon.

Applications

Due to its unique properties, carbon fiber is used in a wide range of applications. In the aerospace industry, it is used in the construction of aircraft structures and components. In the automotive industry, it is used in the production of high-performance cars and motorcycles. In the sports equipment industry, it is used in the manufacturing of bicycles, golf clubs, and tennis rackets. In the medical field, carbon fiber is used in the production of prosthetics and medical equipment.

Related Terms

• Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)
• Aerospace industry
• Automotive industry
• Sports equipment industry
• Prosthetics
• Medical equipment

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